Local grocery stores prepare for holiday crowd and weather

The chance of snow and ice has local grocery stores packed, especially with the Thanksgiving holiday just a few days away.

BRISTOL, Va. -

The chance of snow and ice has local grocery stores packed, especially with the Thanksgiving holiday just a few days away.

Many people are heading to the grocery stores on a mission with a list in their hands to making sure they get everything for their Thanksgiving dinner.

Marla Edwards is out shopping for Thanksgiving dinner. She tells us she comes to the Food City on Euclid Avenue every Monday morning around 10:00, but this Monday was a little different than usual. "This is a lot more crowded, and I think it has to do with two things -- Thanksgiving coming and this weather change that's headed our way," says Edwards.

On top of the holiday right around the corner, there is also a chance of snow and ice this week, which is causing people to come out and stock up on the essentials like bread and milk. "Of course it's not suppose to be much, but people want to have their groceries in the house there," adds Edwards.

Food City store manager Raymond Stockard tells us they have an emergency plan in place in case we do get a lot of snow or ice. "We already have set orders in place that we can release so that we will automatically get that product without us having to order. That on top of being prepared for holidays, we're already prepared for bare shelves," says Stockard.

Stockard tells us they have been preparing for months for the holiday season. "We've planned for this week and we're full of product and ready for our customers," adds Stockard.

We saw several shopping carts full of things to make Thanksgiving dinners and shoppers like Edwards making sure they have all the needs for the holiday dinners.

Stockard tells us they have a plan in place to make sure workers are here to make sure the Thanksgiving dinners people ordered are ready. "People who have 4-wheel drive vehicles, you know, maybe they're not scheduled that day but they know if they wake up and the weather is on the ground they'll wake up and come in without us even calling them," says Stockard.

Edwards has advice to anyone who still has to shop for their Thanksgiving dinner or the essentials in case of snow. "I think early mornings is a good time to come. That's generally what time I try to get here," adds Edwards.

Stoackard tells us when it snows the store will sell more than 1,000 pounds of ice melt.